By 1849 the supporters of the Risorgimento had achieved nothing towards creating a free, united and independent Italy. How far would you agree?

The Risorgimento movement in the Italian states is usually defined as beginning in 1815 following the new territorial and political arrangements imposed by the Congress of Vienna 1815. The Congress was called to decide upon a new system to replace the system of French domination over large parts of Europe set up under the Napoleonic Empire and also aimed to try and create a system to keep the peace in Europe. The Risorgimento, or rebirth, came about …

…at least had been put into perspective: Gioberti's plans had been discounted; Balbo's ideas seemed to have replaced Mazzini's as the more likely route for future success and it was clear that military success could not be achieved without some kind of outside help to defeat the Austrians. The question remained, how was unification to be achieved? On the other hand, the method and the form of the realisation of Risorgimento was, by 1849, quite clear.